Inlet valve assembly for central cleaning system



1966 R. H. RILEY, JR., ETAL 3,291,927

INLET VALVE ASSEMBLY FOR CENTRAL CLEANING SYSTEM Filed Oct. 21, 1965 FIG. 4

I8 l: l5 4 l7 I9 I l5b I3 28 INVENTORS ROBERT H. R|LEY,JR. FRANCIS J. ROSENTHAL,JR.

United States Patent Filed Oct. 21, 1965, Ser. No. 499,480 6 Claims. (Cl. 200-61.6)

The present invention relates to an inlet valve assembly for a central cleaning system, and more particularly, to an inlet valve assembly mounted on a wall, floor, or other element of a building structure.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an inlet valve assembly which is economical to manufacture, may be installed quickly and easily out in the field, has a pleasing appearance, and is rugged and reliable for trouble-free performance.

It is another object to provide an inlet valve assembly which avoids the prior art necessity for a mounting plate (or similar device) located internally of the wall structure.

It is a further object to provide an inlet valve assembly which features a retaining member carried by an elbow adapter, wherein the retaining member engages the exposed face of the wall for preventing the elbow from being withdrawn internally into the wall.

In accordance with the broad teachings of the present invention, there is herein illustrated and described, an inlet valve assembly adapted for mounting on a wall or other element of a building structure and comprising a hollow coupling member, such as an elbow adapter, received within an opening formed in the wall and adapted for connection internally of the wall with a source of suction, such as a vacuum cleaner. A retaining member is carried by the coupling member and engages the exposed face of the wall for preventing the coupling member from being withdrawn internally into the wall. A supporting member is secured to the face of the wall. The supporting member has an opening therein communicating with the coupling member so as to facilitate the insertion of a wand or hose into the inlet valve assembly; and a movable cover member, such as an appearance wall plate, is connected to the supporting member for normally closing the opening therein.

, These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification, taken'in conjunction with the enclosed drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective of the inlet valve assembly showing the cover member moved away from the wall to allow the wand, shown in broken lines, to be inserted into the inlet valve assembly;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal section thereof, taken along the lines 2-2 of FIGURE 1, and enlarged over the scale of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view, taken along the lines 33 of FIGURE 2, and showing the outer surface of the supporting member;

FIGURE 4 is a view, taken along the lines 44 of FIGURE 3, and showing the formed wire piece (comprising the retaining member) which prevents the coupling member from being withdrawn internally of the wall;

FIGURE 5 is a section view, taken along the lines 5-5 of FIGURE 2, and showing the ball detent coupling within the tubular neck portion of the supporting member for the purpose of retaining the wand within the inlet valve assembly; and

FIGURE 6 is a perspective of the formed wire retaining piece itself.

With reference to the drawings, the inlet valve assem- -bly is denoted generally as at 10. It is adapted to be secured to a wall 11 or other element of a building structure. The wall is provided with an opening or hole 12 as shown in FIGURE 2. A hollow coupling member, such as an elbow adaptor 13, is received within the opening 12; and the elbow is adapted for connection internally of the wall to a source of suction. The elbow has a radially enlarged flange portion 14 and is preferably molded from a suitable plastic material.

A retaining member 15 is carried by the elbow 13 and is lodged between the exposed face 16 of the wall 11 and the underside of the flange 14 formed on the elbow. The retaining member, which is preferably a formed wire piece shown more clearly in FIGURES 4 and 6, prevents the elbow 13 from being withdrawn internally into the wall.

In the installation of the inlet valve assembly out in the field, the opening 12 is cut in the wall, as with a hole saw, and the elbow 13 (and any suction conduit secured thereto) is drawn through the opening 12. The wire retainer 15 is mounted on the elbow such that its central loop portion 15a is received underneath of the flange 14 on the elbow. The elbow is then released by the operator, and the wire retainer 15 prevents the elbow from being withdraw internally into the wall. Any form of retaining member may be used in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, but the wire retainer shown herein is preferred.

A supporting member (comprising a supporting plate 17) is secured to the wall 11 by means of toggle bolts 18. The holes for the toggle bolts are drilled when the opening 12 is formed in the wall, and a template may be used for this purpose. The toggle bolts 18 are inserted from the front of the wall to secure the supporting plate to the wall. The supporting plate 17 has a radial flange 19, see FIGURE 4, which encloses the wire retainer 15, such that the retainer is nested within the supporting plate. With this arrangement, there is no necessity for a mounting plate anchored to a stud or building support internally of the wall, and no necessity for sandwiching the wall between a mounting plate and a wall plate, as in the prior art designs. Instead, the entire inlet valve assembly is mounted from the front of the wall.

The supporting plate 17 has an integrally-formed central tubular neck portion 20, see FIGURE 2, which is telescopically received within the elbow 13. The neck portion 20 has an opening 21 communicating with the elbow (and hence the source of suctioh) and facilitates the insertion of the wand 22 (shown in broken lines) into the assembly. Preferably, the neck portion 20 carries a plurality of ball detents 23 (backed up by a flat annular spring 24) and engaging in an annular dimpled groove 25 formed on the wand 22. This retains the wand in the inlet valve assembly against inadvertent removal.

A cover member 26 is hinged, as at 27, to the supporting plate 17 for swinging movement away from the face of the wall. A coil spring 28 (or other resilient means) preferably provides a constant bias for urging the cover member 26 towards the supporting plate. When the cover member is swung away from the wall, as shown in FIGURE 2, and the wand 22 is inserted into the assembly, the end of the cover member (remote from its hinged end) engages the wand, and preferably, the underside of the wand, as shown. The cover member 26 has a central raised portion 29 for supporting a gasket 30 which is secured by a fastener 31. When the wand 22 is removed from the assembly, the cover member (and more particularly its gasket 30) closes the opening 21 in the supporting plate 17 and provides an effective seal. The cover member 26 actually comprises an appearance wall plate, and its outer surface may be provided with a pleasing finish or design. 7

The supporting plate 17 also carries the switch contact members 32. These contact members 32 are brought into engagement with one another to energize the vacuum cleaner automatically upon the insertion of the wand into the inlet valve assembly. For this purpose, one of the switch contacts carries an insulated button or pin 33 which protrudes through the supporting plate and is engaged by an annular flange 34 on the Wand.

As shown in FIGURE 4, the ends 15b of the wire retainer 15 are fairly close to the flange 19 formed on the supporting plate 17; in this manner, the wire retainer 15 is prevented from opening up sufficiently to release the flange 14 on the elbow 13.

Preferably, the opening 12 is a round hole, rather than a square or rectangular opening as used in the prior art designs. In this manner, a hole saw (powered by a familiar portable electric drill) may be used for the open ing 12, and the use of a jig saw or sabre saw (to cuta rectangular pocket) is avoided. Hence the improved inlet valve assembly may be installed quickly and easily, and installation costs are reduced.

Obviously, many modifications may be made without departing from the basic spirit of the present invention; and accordingly, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than has been specifically described herein.

We claim:

1. An inlet valve assembly for a central cleaning system, the inlet valve assembly being mounted on a wall or other element of a building structure and comprising:

(a) a hollow coupling member received within an opening formed in the wall and adapted for connection with a source of suction internally of the wall;-

(b) a retaining member removably seated on said coupling member and engaging between a portion of the coupling member and the exposed face of the wall for preventing said coupling member from being withdrawn internally into the wall;

(c) a supporting member secured to the face of the wall, substantially enclosing the retaining member, and preventing dislodgment of the retaining member from the coupling member;

(d) said supporting member having an opening therein communicating with the coupling member, thereby to facilitate the insertion of a wand or hose into the inlet valve assembly; and

(e) a movable cover member connected to said supporting member for normally closing the opening therein.

2. An inlet valve assembly for a central cleaning system, the inlet valve assembly being mounted on a wall or other element of a building structure and comprising:

(a) a hollow coupling member received within an opening formed in the wall and adapted for connection with a source of suction internally of the wall; said coupling member comprising an adapter elbow having a radially-enlarged flange extending beyond the face of the wall;

(-b) a retaining member carried by said elbow and having a portion received between the exposed face of the wall and the underside of the flange on the elbow for preventing said elbow from being withdrawn internally into the wall;

(c) a supporting member secured to the face of the wall;

(d) said supporting member having an opening therein communicating with the elbow, thereby to facilitate the insertion of a wand or hose into the inlet valve assembly; and

,(e) a movable cover member connected to said supporting member for normally closing the opening therein.

3. The inlet valve assembly of claim 2, wherein:

(a) said retaining member comprises a formed wire piece; and wherein:

(b) the portion of said retaining member which is received between the face of the wall and the underside of the flange on the elbow comprises a central loop portion of said formed wire piece.

4. An inlet valve assembly for a central cleaning system, the inlet valve assembly being mounted on a wall or other element of a building structure and comprising:

(a) an elbow within the wall, received in an opening formed in the wall, and adapted to be connected internally of the wall to a source of suction;

(b) retaining means carried by said elbow and engaging the exposed face of the wall for preventing said elbow from being withdrawn internally into the wall;

(c) a supporting plate secured to the face of the wall and enclosing said retaining means;

(d) said supporting plate having a central tubular neck portion telescopically received in said elbow and communicating therewith for facilitating the insertion of a wand into the inlet valve assembly; and

(e) movable means for normally covering said supporting plate.

5. An inlet valve assembly for a central cleaning system, the inlet valve assembly being mounted on a wall or other element of a building structure and comprising:

(a) an elbow within the wall, received in an opening formed in the wall, and adapted to be connected internally of the wall to a source of suction;

(b) retaining means removably seated on said elbow and engaging between a portion of the elbow and the exposed face of the wall for preventing said elbow from being withdrawn internally into the wall;

(0) a supporting plate secured to the face of the wall and preventing dislodgement of said retaining means from the elbow;

((1) said supporting plate having means for receiving the wand and placing the same in communication with said elbow and the source of suction;

(e) switch contacts carried by said supporting plate and disposed between said supporting plate and the face of the wall; and

(f) an axially movable switch button for engaging said contacts; said switch button protruding through an aperture in said supporting plate forwardly of the elbow and cooperating with an annular flange on the wand for closing the switch contacts and autornatically actuating the suction whenever the wand is inserted into the inlet valve assembly.

6. An inlet valve assembly for a central cleaning system, the assembly being mounted within an opening formed in a wall or other element of a building structure and comprising:

(a) a hollow coupling member within the wall;

(b) said coupling member having a pair of ends, one of which is connected internally of the wall to a source of suction, and the other of which protrudes through the opening in the wall;

(0) a radial flange formed on the protruding end of the coupling member;

(d) said flange being of smaller dimensions than that of the opening formed in the wall, whereby in mounting the assembly to the wall, the coupling member may pass freely through the opening in the wall;

(e) a resilient retaining member removably seated on the coupling member and disposed between the underside of the flange on the coupling member and the exposed face of the wall, thereby preventing nally into the wall;

(f) a supporting member secured to the exposed face of the wall;

(g) said supporting member having means for entrapping the retaining member and preventing the retaining member from being dislodged from the coupling member;

(h) means including an opening in the assembly for facilitating the insertion of a wand into communication With the hollow coupling member and the source of suction; and

(i) means for normally covering said opening.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Forney 200-61.6 Stevens 137-360 X Racklyeft 200-61 Boryfewycz 200-61 Congdon 15-314 BERNARD A. GILHEANY, Primary Examiner. J. BAKER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN INLET VALVE ASSEMBLY FOR A CENTRAL CLEANING SYSTEM, THE INLET VALVE ASSEMBLY BEING MOUNTED ON A WALL OR OTHER ELEMENT OF A BUILDING STRUCTURE AND COMPRISING: (A) A HOLLOW COUPLING MEMBER RECEIVED WITHIN AN OPENING FORMED IN THE WALL AND ADAPTED FOR CONNECTION WITH A SOURCE OF SUCTION INTERNALLY OF THE WALL; (B) A RETAINING MEMBER REMOVABLY SEATED ON SAID COUPLING MEMBER AND ENGAGING BETWEEN A PORTION OF THE COUPLING MEMBER AND THE EXPOSED FACE OF THE WALL FOR PREVENTING SAID COUPLING MEMBER FROM BEING WITHDRAWN INTERNALLY INTO THE WALL; (C) A SUPPORTING MEMBER SECURED TO THE FACE OF THE WALL, SUBSTANTIALLY ENCLOSING THE RETAINING MEMBER, AND PREVENTING DISLODGMENT OF THE RETAINING MEMBER FROM THE COUPLING MEMBER; (D) SAID SUPPORTING MEMBER HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN COMMUNICATING WITH THE COUPLING MEMBER, THEREBY TO FACILITATE THE INSERTION OF A WAND OR HOSE INTO THE INLET VALVE ASSEMBLY; AND (E) A MOVABLE COVER MEMBER CONNECTED TO SAID SUPPORTING MEMBER FOR NORMALLY CLOSING THE OPENING THEREIN. 